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Tuesday, 19 June 2018

London Pagan Events over the Solstice & Midsummer

The Summer Solstice is on Thursday, 21 June while Midsummer's Day is on Sunday 24 June. There are lots of things to do over the next week or so to mark these traditional festivals. Most of the pagan events I list are in London, because that is where I am based, but some are in other parts of England including the stone circles at Stonehenge and Avebury.

Now - Saturday 30 June; Summer Solstice Celebration of the Goddess Juno at Wicca Moon in south London. Each year Shirlee and her fellow witches raise awareness of the Divine Goddess of 10,000 names and funding for charity with a series of events including talks, ceremonies and workshops. Venue: Wicca Moon, 50 Well Hall Road, London SE9 6SH. Some events are free. Tickets can be bought for individual activities, or you can pay a special price of £165 for the entire month. For further details contact Shirlee@wiccamoon.org.uk, call 0208 850 7803 or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/591360514554349/ or http://www.wiccamoon.co.uk

Tuesday 19 June; Witches of London Gathering. Venue: front bar of the Cittie of Yorke, 22 High Holborn, London WC1V 6BS. Starting for 7.30pm. onwards. Meets on the third Tuesday of each month. For any questions email coacentral@witchcraft.org or visit http://www.witchfest.net/

Wednesday 20 - Thursday 21 June; Stonehenge, the 5,000-year-old megalithic monument on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, is the most famous place in England to celebrate the solstices. English Heritage, which manages the site, allows free "managed open access" to Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice. English Heritage allows individuals and groups to conduct their own ceremonies and rituals during the opening times, from 7pm on 20 June until 8am on 21 June. No camping is allowed. There is a car park (charged) and buses run from Salisbury railway station. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/summer-solstice/

Thursday 21 - Friday 22 June; Summer Solstice Peace Fires. Light a candle or fire for peace wherever you are in the world, for as short or long a time as you like between 2am PDT (US) time, which is from 10am UK time on 21 June until 4am US time/noon UK time on 22 June. You can light a candle just for 10 minutes or an hour or longer and state the intention: “Let there be peace on earth and love for one another.” Details: http://peacefires.org/

Thursday 21 June; Solstice Ritual and World Peace Day Celebrations at Avebury Stone Circle in Wilthsire. A Solstice sunrise ceremony will be conducted by local elders at dawn, followed by a Druid ceremony in the Sun Circle. There will be a closing ceremony at 11.45am. The ceremonies are free to attend. From noon, there will be a World Peace and Prayer Symposium at Avebury Sports and Social Club. Tickets for this are £29. https://www.facebook.com/events/372575339888098/

Thursday 21 June; Wheel of the Year Festival - Summer Solstice at Chalice Well World Peace Garden, in Glastonbury. Gather at the well head for midday meditation until 12.30pm, followed by conversation on the lower lawn. Free admission to the gardens from 10am to noon. For more details, visit the website http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/

Friday 22 June; Midsummer Gongbath with Diana Vernon MCSH. On this first day of midsummer after the summer solstice, in a beautiful period candle-lit hall, allow the sun energy of this time to combine with the resonance of the gongs to promote peace, tranquility and relaxation. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm-8.30pm. Cost: £20/£22. Advance booking recommended. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 23 June; Free and Open Gorsedd Summer Solstice Rite by the Free and Open Gorsedd of Caer Abiri at The Sun Circle, Avebury, Wilts, Avebury, United Kingdom. Druidic style open ceremony to celebrate summer - all faith paths welcome. Meet at the Red Lion pub from noon for ceremony from 1.30pm. Offerings of bread or cake, mead, poetry and song are welcome. https://www.facebook.com/events/1213809608753855/

Saturday 23 June; Woodland Midsummer Gathering 2018 - Ceremony and Social with London Woodland Witches, Pagans and Ritual Magicians. Venue: Queen's Woods, Highgate. Meet in the garden area of the Woodman pub at 2pm to walk to the woods at 2.45pm. Cost: £3.· Wear outdoor clothes, something to sit on and bring food and drink. Details and bookings: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Saturday 23 June; Portals of London: Abney Park. Storytelling for adult audiences with London Dreamtime. Venue: A secret location in North East London. Time: 5.45pm for 6pm start. Price: £8 - you must book a place in advance. For more details, email vanessa@londondreamtime.com or visit https://londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Saturday 23 June; St John's Eve Vigil at Crossbones to honour The Goose and the outcast dead of Cross Bones Graveyard and the dead and wounded of the London Bridge attacks. Bring a flower, a ribbon, a totem or memento to tie to the shrine. Gather from 6.45pm for a 7pm start in Redcross Way outside the Memorial Gates, London SE1 1TA. For more details, visit http://crossbones.org.uk/

Sunday, 24 June; Anderida Gorsedd Summer Solstice open ritual at the Long Man of Wilmington, Wilmington, East Sussex. Meet near the car park between 1.30pm and 2pm, walk up to the chalk hill figure at 2pm. Afterwards, the Giants Rest pub. https://www.facebook.com/groups/anderidagorsedd/

Sunday, 24 June; Luna Iter - Journey of the moon - for Pagan and Wiccan Seekers with Luna Iter- Wiccan Seekers London NE. Pub moot followed by a ritual close to each full moon. Venue: Pembury Tavern, 90 Amhurst Road, Hackney. Moot starts at 4.30pm, then at 6pm moving to a historic site for the ritual. Fee: £4/£5. https://www.meetup.com/Luna-Iter-WiccanSeekersLondonNE/

Thursday 28 June; Capricorn Full Moon Ceremony by the river Thames with London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Venue: Meet at Tate Modern green outside Tate Modern and Bankside Gallery, London SE1 at 8pm for a Wiccan circle ritual on the banks of the Thames. Cost: £3 You must reserve a place in advance. Wear outdoor clothes and bring food and drink to share. Details and bookings: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans

Please note that I am not responsible for any of these events except my own candle magic workshop at Treadwell's. I try to ensure my listings are accurate but do not always know of late changes, cancellations or ticket availability. If you do spot anything that needs correcting, please email the details to badwitch1234@gmail.com